Sycamore and white oak with the 880.

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Walnut33

ArboristSite Member
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Location
Bellevue, NE
Been busy with college but heres a nicer Sycamore I got a hold of a while back. One of the best quarter sawn woods ever. Love my 880 Mag with a 59" bar. Going back to my home town to do a 40" Americam Elm tommorrow after im done with classes. Ill see if I can get some pics.
 
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Nice job. I did a 48 inch one about a year ago. I've been wondering if it was a Sycamore. There are so many different types. The one I did looked just like yours for about 30+ feet. The owner said it then turn to the Pastel looking sycamore bark. I never got to see the upper portion. I've been wondering if it wasn't a London plain tree. I'm wondering how you came up with sycamore. BB
 
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Sycamore is a common name applied to more than one species. The London Plane tree is platanus (plane tree) and the American species platanus occidentalis is very common here on the east coast. It has the exfoliating bark and multi-color trunk that Betterbuilt mentions. The other is actually a maple, acer pseudoplatanus, originally native to Europe. Both are known for their figured wood. A local shop makes custom furniture with quartersawn "sycamore" that has beautiful ray fleck. Rays aren't as big as oak but more consistent. How about a close-up of the quartersawn boards?
 
Sycamore is a common name applied to more than one species. The London Plane tree is platanus (plane tree) and the American species platanus occidentalis is very common here on the east coast. It has the exfoliating bark and multi-color trunk that Betterbuilt mentions. The other is actually a maple, acer pseudoplatanus, originally native to Europe. Both are known for their figured wood. A local shop makes custom furniture with quartersawn "sycamore" that has beautiful ray fleck. Rays aren't as big as oak but more consistent. How about a close-up of the quartersawn boards?

Here's a pic from the one I did.
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This is all true. Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is very common here. Usually this species has the green and white bark you guys mention and the boards i milled out of the upper portion of the tree exhibit this. But I have noticed that once this species gets about 30" or so in diameter the bark starts to become aggregate as shown here. Does anybody else find that sycamore drie extremely fast? I mean like air drying 1" to 12% in about 5-6 months? One of the cool things about this species though is that it stains real nicely (but be careful because it will stain where you place stickers too when drying.) First pic is flatsawn and the following is quartersawn.
 
Does anybody else find that sycamore drie extremely fast? I mean like air drying 1" to 12% in about 5-6 months? One of the cool things about this species though is that it stains real nicely (but be careful because it will stain where you place stickers too when drying.)

Yep. Here in the desert, it takes about 3 months for my 2" slabs to air dry to 12%. I have also experienced the staining at stickers :(
 
What's up with the blue tarp on the shed roof? Somebody put a stick through the roof while taking the tree down, by the looks of the felling cut.........
 
Haha Yep! The guy didnt want to pay for a service to take it down so he rented a lift and did it himself. I still think he came out ahead though.
 
Haha Yep! The guy didnt want to pay for a service to take it down so he rented a lift and did it himself. I still think he came out ahead though.

That quartersawn looks awesome! Almost looks like a digital print, I have used some 8/4 spalted sycamore before and I think it cleans up and clear stain/seals really nice.
 
love a good quarter sawn sycamore board. kinda plain jane if it isnt but still good working wood.nice work on that monster tree.


Wish I had my milling set-up when I cut this Sycamore, here's a shot of a noodled piece.


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